


With a Touch of Cream and Sugar

by MakutaMatata



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Ten Years Later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 13:20:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20471687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MakutaMatata/pseuds/MakutaMatata
Summary: 10 years after the events of the main games, Cream and Charmy are confused teenagers and best friends. But they begin to feel like there's something else between them, more than just a friendship. Not sure what to do, they seek counsel from various friends and family members, as well as a certain couple that has been established for years.I've been doing a lot of Sonamy lately, so I wanted to experiment a bit and try my hand at a different ship!





	1. Chapter 1

“Well Cream, looks like it’s just me and you on this one.”

The sun was beginning to set over the horizon as Cream the Rabbit and Charmy Bee exited the Chaotix Detective Agency. Their shiny new office glinted in the evening light. It was located in the midst of a bustling city, so people were out and about even this late in the evening. An oppressive summer heat hung over the city, and emerging from the cool, air conditioned office was quite the jarring change. 

Cream and Charmy exchanged an apprehensive, yet excited glance as they walked through the double doors and onto the street. The two of them were childhood friends that went back years. When they were children, they were playmates, and as preteens and early teenagers, they went through their rebellious phases together and stuck with one another like glue. Now, after having known one another for ten years, they were practically inseparable. Their bond was beginning to mature with them.

Rabbits were naturally bigger than bees. At 16 years old, Charmy was still pretty short, but by bee standards he was lanky. His stinger grew out and became more defined, while his face became longer and more mature. Cream on the other hand, was tall and slender. Gone was her youthful face, replaced with one that she’d carry for years to come. Her ears had gotten longer, and her fur had darkened slightly over the years. If they stood on their feet, Cream would be about a foot taller than Charmy, but he rarely ever touched down. He usually hovered around eye level for her. Cream was flanked by her trusty companion, Cheese the Chao, who never ever left her side. 

Some things never changed about them, such as Charmy never taking his helmet off or Cream only ever wearing orange clothing. They went through many phases of their life together, and they both felt they had seen everything the other had to offer. Both carried secrets of the other that they swore to never tell anyone else, and they carried fond memories of growing up together that they would never forget. 

A few months ago, Cream became an official member of the Chaotix. This happened much to the surprise and worry of her friends and family, but Cream and her Chaotix friends knew she could handle the responsibilities. After all, she’d already been on some cases alongside the team and knew the ropes. She and Charmy would always team up when they had to split up and search for clues. Cream’s brains coupled with Charmy’s leadership and versatility made them an unbeatable combination. 

Finally, their big day had come. Vector dispatched them on their first solo case together. He had chosen to give them a fairly straightforward one, nothing that they hadn't handled before. The case was to help their friend Big the Cat find his pollywog pal, Froggy. They got this exact same case very often. It was no secret that Big could never keep track of the whereabouts of his friend. Each time was different, though, as Froggy never ended up in the same place more than once. This led to a running joke among the detectives that Froggy was a bolt of lightning that never struck the same place twice. 

The two of them charted a course for Big’s shack in the middle of the woods. Although it would normally be hard to find, they practically knew the way by heart. Big was one of Cream’s best friends, after all. 

Finally, their course had been set. Cream grinned broadly, her smile practically radiating her innocent joy into Charmy. When she smiled, he could not help but smile as well. Her cheerfulness was contagious. 

“Come on, Charmy!” she squealed, taking his hand in hers. “This is our first real Chaotix case! Let’s show Mister Vector what we can do.”

“Chao chao!” Cheese added excitedly. 

Charmy was too busy blushing to respond. Luckily, Cream was not looking at him. She and Cheese gazed off into the horizon stoically, but Charmy was focused directly on the rabbit in front of him. Even though they had known each other for some time, he felt a strange tickling sensation in his chest whenever she touched him. Her grip was gentle, yet reassuring.

Vector had sent him on solo missions before, but he always had his team’s supervision and could rely on their backup if he needed it. This time, he was on his own, and he had to admit that he was a little nervous. He knew Cream was too, perhaps even more so than him. It was their first time in the field, and something could go very wrong that they’d have to solve themselves. They always had backup from Vector and Espio, even if they didn't need to call upon them. This time, they were completely alone. But Cream’s hand resting gently in his instilled a sense of reassurance to him. He realized that the case would turn out just fine, just like all of their others. He wasn’t truly on his own and without backup, so long as Cream was there with him. As long as they worked together, they would solve everything like usual. What did he really have to be worried about? It wasn’t like finding Froggy was tough or anything.

Wordlessly, Cream must have sensed his insecurity. Her gentleness and empathy was enough to reach parts of Charmy’s heart and mind that he never even knew existed. Her touch restored the confidence that was momentarily wavering in him. He knew that she had only grabbed his hand for friendly reassurance, but Charmy could not help but feel a strong connection with her, something deeper than just a friendship. A youthful, mischievous grin flooded back onto his face. 

“Yeah, we got this in the bag,” he replied. 


	2. Chapter 2

“I’m home, mom!”

Cream practically glided through the front door of her house and tossed her bag onto the sofa. As she aged, her ears only became better and better at helping her fly. If she was in a good mood, she wouldn’t even touch the ground for hours on end. Cheese the Chao flew out of her pocket once they were safely back on the ground. He seemed exhausted after a long day out and about with Cream. Ever since she and Charmy went on their first solo case a few weeks ago, Vector had been assigning them new cases left and right. Most were pretty easy, but lately they’d been getting assigned some tougher cases to crack. Cream loved the challenge, but she couldn’t help but notice that Charmy seemed tired. He was such a hyperactive child when they were younger, so it was surprising to her that he could be so low-energy sometimes. On one hand, she was worried about him, but she couldn’t help but think that it was just a natural change. She made a mental note to talk to him about it. He was usually pretty open with his feelings.

“Oh, welcome home, Cream,” a gentle voice said from the kitchen. A head poked around the wall belonging to Cream’s mother, Vanilla the Rabbit. She grinned at her daughter. 

“How was your day?” she asked. 

Cream shot her an energetic thumbs up, something she’d picked up from Charmy over the years. “It was pretty great! Charmy and I are getting assigned some tougher cases now, which is really fun!”

“You’ll have to tell me all about them,” Vanilla replied. “For now, would you mind helping with dinner if you aren’t too tired?”

Cream had plenty of energy to spare, but Cheese cooed feebly. 

“Cheese is gonna take a nap,” she told her mother, “but I’ll help. What are we making?”

“We’re just prepping a nice salad, as usual,” she told her. “Kale, artichokes, carrots, cauliflower… the same as usual, honey.”

Cream groaned. “But mom, I don’t like artichokes!”

Vanilla replied with a stern glare. “Artichokes are very nutritious, you know. And who taught you to be so ungrateful for the food you’re given? Certainly not your mother!”

Cream looked at the ground. “Sorry, mom.”

It was hard for Vanilla to stay stern with her. She knew her daughter had a heart as pure as gold. Her face melted into a gentle smile once again. 

“Come now, Cream,” she said. “You need to eat healthy. You’re still a growing young rabbit.”

“I know, mom,” Cream replied. “Let me change my clothes, then I’ll come help you out.”

After a few minutes, Cream joined her mother in the kitchen. She grabbed a knife from a drawer and began to chop some vegetables. 

There was silence between them for a few minutes as they worked in silence. Finally, Vanilla spoke. 

“So, how’s that boy Charmy doing?”

Vanilla chose not to point it out, but at the mention of Charmy’s name her daughter’s face immediately lit up. 

“Oh, he’s doing well!” she replied. “Same as always.”

Cream’s mother smiled. She could tell that Cream had no idea how she felt about him. For someone that was so in tune with the emotions of others, she was surprisingly out of touch with her own feelings. 

Given all her years of experience, she knew exactly the push Cream needed. 

“Are you two dating yet?” she casually asked. 

Cream practically froze in place. 

“D-dating?” Cream stammered. “Me and Charmy? C-come on, mom! It’s not like that!”

Vanilla raised her eyebrows. “Well, you’ve known each other for so long, and you’re both around that age, too.”

Cream began to back away. “Um, well, I don’t know. Can we please talk about something else?”

Vanilla could practically see Cream’s mind reeling and spinning. She was trying to deal with an emotion she was never equipped to comprehend.

Vanilla recognized it all too well. After all, she knew Sonic. Back when they were younger, he would always react the same way around Amy.

As the gears turned in Cream’s head, Vanilla felt it wise to drop the topic entirely. Cream had already been given the push she needed. 


	3. Chapter 3

“So, Charmy, what’s the deal with you an’ Cream?”

Espio the Chameleon, Vector the Crocodile, and Charmy Bee were lounging in Vector’s office at the agency, reviewing the aftermath of a case from earlier in the day. The windows hung open in an attempt to let in the cool evening breeze, but the heat from outside was just as sweltering as inside the office. Even a fan running at the highest setting wasn’t enough to keep them cool. While Espio was reviewing the case’s conclusion, he mentioned Cream, who was also involved in the case. She had since gone back home, but Vector couldn’t help but wonder what was happening between her and Charmy. He could tell that there was a certain something in their eyes whenever they looked at each other. 

“Oh, I have a crush on her,” the bee nonchalantly replied to Vector’s earlier question. “At least, I think I do.”

Espio looked dumbstruck, and Vector seemed disappointed. 

“Damn,” Vector said. “That was a lot easier to get outta you than I expected it to be.”

“It’s not like it’s a secret or anything,” Charmy replied with a playful wink. “I’m not Sonic.”

“Oh, snap!” Vector cried out. 

Sonic and Amy had been dating for some time now. The blue hedgehog had managed to keep his secret safe for the longest time by running away from any and all of her advances, but after many years he finally realized that he was just running away from his own feelings for her. None of the Chaotix knew the juicy details, but they knew that it was a long time coming. 

“It’s been a few years for them, huh?” Vector asked. “Time really does fly.”

“Charmy flies too!” Charmy piped in, flying around Vector’s head. 

“Vector finds Charmy really damn annoying sometimes,” Vector muttered in response. 

Espio shook his head vigorously. 

“Wait, back up a second,” he demanded. “Since when were you into Cream?”

Vector and Charmy both looked at him like he had two heads. 

“Uh, since we were like, fourteen?” Charmy replied. "You didn't know?" 

Espio blinked. This was the first he was hearing about it. 

“Well, now ya know, Espio,” Vector replied cheerfully. 

“Not to speak against Cream,” Espio said, “but what do you see in her? I get that you’ve been friends for years, but there has to be more to it than that.”

Charmy looked at the ground sheepishly. “I dunno, Espio. I know her so well that it’s hard to describe in words. I guess it’s that she just kinda knows. Like, she understands people on a much deeper level than everyone else. She’s so kind and empathetic, especially towards me. She’s a really gentle person to be around, but somehow really powerful at the same time. Benevolent would be a perfect word to describe her. Seeing her happy makes me feel really happy too.”

“She takes after her mother,” Vector muttered. 

“And you’d know, wouldn’t ya, Vector?” Charmy suddenly teased. “Vanilla’s only rejected you how many times now? Five? Six? And yet you keep going back to her!”

Vector whacked Charmy on the shoulder. “Would ya knock it off! For your information, she never ‘rejected’ me, she just… isn’t ready yet.”

“If she isn’t ready now, I don’t know if she ever will be,” Espio pointed out. “You two aren’t getting any younger, and she has her hands full being a single mother. She probably doesn't have the time for a relationship.”

Vector looked downcast. Espio and Charmy exchanged a worried look. Perhaps they had teased him too hard. 

Charmy buzzed over to him and gently laid a hand on his scaly back. “Hey, things will work out for you two eventually, Vector. Don’t let it get to ya!”

It wasn’t much, but Vector cheered up a little bit. At least enough to break out of his momentary sorrow. 

The bee was smiling internally. That was something he’d learned to do from Cream. 

“I do understand your sentiment, Charmy,” Espio said. “You go so far back, it only makes sense that your bond extends deeper than words can describe.”

Suddenly, the three of them were overcome with nostalgia as they remembered their humble beginnings, both with Cream and with one another. It was strange for Vector to think that the young, troublemaking, hyperactive bee he had once known was nearly a full grown adult. Although he was far older and more mature now, he still had a distinctly youthful aura about him that even age couldn’t erase. 

Vector grimaced and tore his eyes away from Charmy. He opened a drawer in his desk and withdrew a stack of old photos. 

“We’re all getting pretty old, ain’t we?” Vector said, sifting through the photos. 

He smiled gently as he came across a picture that held a particular sentimental value for him. 

“Man, you’ve grown,” he observed. “Check this one out.”

He showed Espio and Charmy a photo of the three of them posing together after solving one of their very first real cases. Espio stood in the middle, looking deadly serious as usual with his arms crossed. Next to him was Vector, grinning as if he had just won the lottery with his hands thrown up in the air. Buzzing above them was Charmy, giving the camera a double thumbs up with his usual hearty grin. They looked so young and innocent. 

“I can’t believe you’re 16 already,” Vector muttered, staring at the photo. 

“Says the old man himself,” Charmy replied. “You’re in your thirties, mister middle-aged man!”

Vector sighed. “Would ya cut that out? Yer makin’ me feel self conscious.”

Charmy giggled. It was true, Vector looked more and more tired with each passing day. Although he was still young by his own standards, he was the eldest of everyone in their friend group, except technically Shadow. He was definitely the most mature, or at least he liked to think so. Most people would argue much differently. 

“I don’t even feel that much different than I did back then,” Charmy told them. “Like, things have been going so slow, ya know? I feel like I’ve known you guys and Cream for ages.”

“Well, you have known us for most of your life,” Espio pointed out. Charmy had to agree, since it was true. 

Vector heaved another tired sigh. What Espio told him earlier was true. He wasn’t getting any younger. Looking back at these photos evoked a feeling in his chest that he had no idea how to describe. He decided to tuck the photos away into his desk. 

“So what’s your plan with Cream?” Vector asked in his harsh, yet well-meaning voice. “You gonna ask her out?”

Charmy scratched the back of his head. He honestly had no idea what to do about Cream. 

“I don’t really know how she feels about me,” Charmy replied. “I mean, I think she might like me back? But I don’t know how to tell. I’m also kinda worried. Like, if I ask her out and she says no, dontcha think that’ll ruin our friendship? It’s a really touchy situation. I don’t think she knows how to show romantic feelings well, so I can’t really tell. Actually, I was wondering if you guys had any idea what I should do.”

Vector and Espio exchanged a glance and shrugged. 

“I have never had any interest in that sort of thing,” Espio reminded him. “I can’t claim to be an expert by any means. And considering Vector’s romantic history, I don’t think he's very qualified to give you advice either.”

“Wha- Hey!” Vector cried.

“You can say what you want, Vector, but you know I’m right,” Espio continued. 

For the third time that night, Vector sighed. Espio was absolutely correct. 

“You know who may be able to help you out, though?” Espio told him. “Amy. If there’s anyone who’s an expert on romance with people who are terrible at showing their emotions, it’s her. Why don’t you try reaching out to her?”

Charmy raised his eyebrows. He was surprised he didn’t think about that sooner. Maybe Espio was smarter than Charmy gave him credit for all these years. Of course, Charmy knew that Espio was smart, but he still liked to tease the poor chameleon, even if it was just in his head. He only saw one issue with Espio’s plan. 

“She and Cream are like, really close though,” Charmy replied. “What if she tells her everything I said, and that just makes things worse?"

“Look, I can't say I know Amy too well, but I doubt she’s the kind of person to do something like that,” replied Espio. “Call it intuition, but I feel that Amy would be wise enough to know to tiptoe around the situation, especially because of how close she and Cream are. The last thing she’d want is to make Cream unhappy, and causing problems between the two of you would do just that. Romantic or not, you make Cream very, very happy. I can tell.”

Charmy smirked. “Maybe you aren’t so bad at romantic stuff after all, Espio!” 


	4. Chapter 4

The agency had never been so quiet. As Charmy Bee and Vector the Crocodile walked in the main door, the bee could sense that something was amiss. Normally, lights were left on, Espio was snoring, or at least some background noise could be heard. There was nothing. Even the sounds from outside seemed distant. All the lights were off, and the curtains were drawn. Only a few rays of light broke through the curtain and lit up floating trails of dust in the air. Everything was still and dim, and an ominous aura hung over the room. The strangest part was that Vector didn't even seem fazed by it. Charmy narrowed his eyes and hovered cautiously into the room. 

He was about to speak up when he saw a sudden movement. His defenses shot up, but as it turned out, he didn't need them. 

"Surprise!" 

At once, all his friends popped out from various hiding places around the room as the lights came on. Sonic and Amy popped out of the cramped bathroom, Tails and Silver jumped out from behind the curtains, Knuckles and Rouge clung to the wall and ceiling, Blaze and Cream crawled out from underneath the couch, Big blundered in from Vector's office, Shadow didn't even move at all, as he blended in with the darkness in the corner, and Espio simply turned visible in the center of the room. They all smiled at him excitedly. 

Charmy’s eyes widened and a grin spread across his face. 

_ Oh yeah,_ he thought. _ Today's my birthday! _

Vector was the first to congratulate him with a hearty slap on the back that sent him careening through the air.

"Happy birthday, bud!" Vector yelled. "You surprised?" 

Once Charmy regained his breath, he did a purposeful flip in midair and shot Vector a thumbs up. 

"I'm impressed you managed to keep this a secret for so long, Vector!" he told him. "Congrats!" 

The green crocodile rolled his eyes comically. "Come on, man. At least show some gratitude 'ere! I organized this whole thing for ya."

Charmy giggled and, surprising Vector even further, wrapped his arms around Vector's head in a genuine face hug. He was getting a little big for it, but his tactics still held up. 

"I appreciate it, dude," he told him. 

Vector froze. He had no idea how to respond. 

Once the Chaotix leader tore Charmy off his face, most of the others approached. 

"Happy birthday, bud!" Sonic told him with a fist bump. 

"17 already!" Amy cried, wiping away a tear. "They grow up so fast."

"Congrats, Charmy," Knuckles and Rouge said in unison. They glared at each other. 

Shadow merely shot him a proud smirk. If there was anyone Charmy looked up to besides Espio and Vector, it was him. His heart swelled with pride that Shadow had acknowledged him. 

Blaze shook his hand with a smile. "Happy birthday, my friend." 

He grinned sheepishly. 

"Charmy!" Silver cried, giving him a hearty high five. "Happy birthday, buddy."

Big pulled Charmy into a tight, constricting hug. The bee didn't seem to mind, and responded in kind. 

Espio the Chameleon gave him a calm high five and put a hand on his shoulder. "You're on the verge of greatness, Charmy. I have no doubt in my mind that no conceivable obstacle will be able to stop you once you've reached your full potential. Let nothing obstruct your path through life, not now, not ever. Happy birthday, my friend."

Charmy wasn't sure what to say to that, so he just thanked his friend and mentor with a warm face hug, the same as he did with Vector. Espio calmly tore the bee off of him. 

Finally, Cream approached. 

"Happy birthday, Charmy!" she said. Charmy hovered in front of her and they shared a warm hug. He could not help but feel more satisfaction from Cream’s wishes than he did from anyone else's. 

After they hugged, they held each other at arm’s length for a moment and gazed into each other’s eyes. Buried beneath Cream’s extremely proper exterior was a girl who would fly to the ends of the earth and back for someone she loved. As Charmy gazed into her eyes, he could see that sentiment reflected. Whenever they made eye contact with one another, Charmy could tell there was a certain something in her eyes that she never had when looking at anyone else. What was it?

“Thanks, Cream,” he replied. Even Knuckles could tell that those words carried more meaning when he was speaking to her. 

Vector stepped forwards. “Alright boys and girls, let’s get this party started!”

It was no secret that Charmy loved being the center of attention. As he aged, he realized more and more that he did not always have to be, however he still loved it. Knowing this, even Sonic showered him with all the attention he had. 

Soon, the party broke apart into their usual cliques. Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Cream all sat on the couch together, Knuckles, Rouge, and Shadow were discussing an apparently very serious topic at extreme length that Charmy could not even comprehend, and Blaze and Silver helped Big to keep an eye on Froggy. That left Espio, Vector, and Charmy alone. Charmy could not have asked for anything better for his birthday. The trio simply sat alone in Vector’s office, reminiscing about days past.

During the time they were gone, everyone had gathered in the center of the room around something or someone. When the Chaotix got closer, they saw that Sonic and Shadow were having an intense dance battle. While Sonic’s dance was casual, smooth, and fast, Shadow’s was angry and intense. Vector could see the appeal of both. 

Sonic finished up a breakdance routine and slid to a stop in front of Amy, giving her the finger guns and shooting her a wink. She squealed with excitement. 

Vector rolled his eyes. “Awwright guys, that's enough. Yer gonna break somethin’ if you keep dancin'.”

He had to physically hold Shadow back to prevent him from dancing back at Sonic. The blue blur smirked. In one arm, he cradled the swooning Amy Rose, and with the other he pointed at Shadow. 

“Heh, looks like I win this round, Shad,” he taunted. 

Shadow snarled in response. “I would show you who really wins this dance battle, Sonic, if this green reptile would get his paws off of me long enough.”

“Hey!” Vector cried. “These are technically claws!”

Soon, the dance battle had dispersed and everyone gathered back in their cliques. Knuckles drank all of Vector’s beer, and Vector was distraught. Shadow kept shooting Sonic dirty glares from across the room, while Rouge and Silver tried hard to distract him. Tails unveiled his newest invention, a shrink ray, and confidently tested it on Big. Seeing him shrink down to a normal size was jarring for everyone involved. It took Tails hours to figure out how to reverse it. 

Finally, Vector had an announcement. “Alright everyone, it’s cake time!”

Everyone groaned. One way or another, they’d all heard horror stories about Vector’s cooking. Those who had eaten it firsthand still had nightmares. Despite all the criticism, the croc endured. 

On the cake was a crudely drawn portrait of Charmy’s face that looked like something a six year old had done, and the cake itself exuded some unnatural odor that made even Shadow shudder. 

“Charmy, it’s yer birthday,” Vector said. “Care to do the honors?”

Charmy grimaced as he took the knife from Vector’s hands. He looked around the room and mouthed “I’m sorry” to everyone assembled. 

Once he cut one slice, everyone tried to escape, but Vector still held them back, excited for everyone to try his newest creation. 

“Go on, Charmy,” he encouraged. “Try it.”

Hesitantly, Charmy took one bite. The offputting cake hit his tongue, and he turned it over in his mouth a few times, trying to get a good taste for it. Finally, he turned to Vector with an extremely grave expression on his face. 

“Vector, we need to talk,” he told him, dragging his friend off to the corner of the room. Vector rarely saw Charmy that serious. His curiosity was piqued, and he couldn’t help but wonder if something was wrong. Maybe something happened with Cream?

“What’s up, Charmy?” he asked once they were in the corner of the room. 

Charmy glanced around nervously and leaned into Vector’s ear.

“You’re a terrible cook, Vector.”

Vector’s worried expression contorted into one of annoyance. 

“WHY, YOU LITTLE-”

He swiped to try to grab Charmy out of midair, but the nimble bee dodged. He snickered and flew around the room, leading Vector on a chase and toppling furniture in their wake. 

“COME BACK HERE!” Vector cried, running after him. “YOU ARE SUCH AN ANNOYIN’ LITTLE BEE!”

Eventually, the party started to die down. It was well past midnight by then. 

Once Vector passed out on the couch, everyone knew that it was time to go home. Knuckles stumbled out the door, followed by mostly everyone else. 

Seeing everyone leave, Espio shrugged and made for his bedroom. He was socially exhausted. Plus, seeing who was still there, he figured it would be best if he left them on their own. 

Charmy found himself alone at the agency with Cream. While Charmy was very obviously nervous and averted his gaze, Cream was acting cool and casual, like nothing was out of the ordinary. 

“Well, uh, looks like it’s just the two of us,” Charmy pointed out.

“Don’t forget about Cheese!” Cream replied, pointing to the Chao now floating around her shoulder. 

“Chao chao!” cooed Cheese. 

“Oh yeah,” Charmy replied. “I almost forgot about you, bud.”

Charmy gave Cheese a high five. 

There was a momentary silence that hung over the room. Charmy and Cream stood there awkwardly. She shot him an uncertain smile. Charmy wasn’t sure what to say. 

He thought long and hard about how he felt about the rabbit in front of him. There was a certain constant wistfulness about her that only amplified as she got older. It took Charmy a long time to realize how much she had changed since their younger days. 

Some changes were for the better. She had become far more bold and forward, and learned to cut loose a little bit. Being formal all the time didn’t always play to her benefit, and as such, the timid rabbit that she was when she was younger became the bold, courageous rabbit standing before him now. Of course, she still remained one of the most empathetic and charitable people he had ever met. But she lost one crucial thing as she grew. That was her positivity. 

She didn’t enjoy the small things in life as much as she did in the past. Those magic moments that made ordinary days extraordinary. When they were younger, Charmy loved spending time with her because she made every day feel novel and enchanting. Whether it was walking through the woods, running around outside, staying in and playing video games or hide and seek, going on adventures, or just teasing Vector, it was all the more fun because Cream appreciated the small things. She had a captivating aura about her that made one yearn for the same youthful positivity that she had. As they grew, Charmy came to adopt the same mindset. But Cream lost it. She no longer derived the same happiness that she used to from those moments. As the person who taught him how to live his life to the fullest, he felt he had a responsibility to help her realize the joy to be had in the world. The only problem was that he had no idea how to do so. 

"Are you okay, Charmy?" Cream asked, a concerned tone creeping into her voice. "You're being unnaturally quiet."

Charmy snapped out of his daydream. Cream grinned at him reassuringly. Every time she smiled at him like that, Charmy felt at peace. Her bright smile radiated a youthful cheerfulness like the sun. 

“Wha- Yeah,” Charmy quickly said. “I was just thinking.”

Cream snickered. “You? Thinking? What an uncommon occurrence!”

The duo chortled heartily. While Charmy adopted Cream’s enthusiasm and positivity over the years, she adopted his light-hearted sense of humor. 

“You, making a joke?” Charmy retorted. “What have you done with Cream the Rabbit?”

Cream’s smile melted into a mischievous grin. “Oh Charmy, that wasn’t a joke.”

Charmy pressed his lips together and made a silly face at Cream, who couldn’t hold back her laughter any longer. 

“Well then, you’re pretty good at not making jokes,” Charmy shot back. “There’s the Cream the Rabbit I know and love.”

Cream froze. Her laughter continued, but it quickly melted into a nervous, choppy giggle. 

“You… love me?” Cream asked. Charmy didn’t expect her to take what he said that way. He felt his heart shoot into his throat.

“Nonono!” Charmy replied hastily. “Like, love as a friend! A best friend! You know, what we are.”

Cream continued to smile, but her eyes reflected another emotion. Something along the lines of confusion and slight panic. 

Charmy recognized the look instantly. He and Sonic were never close friends, but he’d been around the blue hedgehog enough to know that it was the same look that he used to give Amy when she came on too strong. The bee had no idea what he was doing wrong. He wanted nothing more than to just tell her how he felt, but he was worried. 

He had a feeling that Cream felt the same way about him, but had no idea how to articulate it or come to terms with her feelings. Cream admired him, both as a person and as a detective. That much he knew. Charmy would even go so far as to conjecture that she had a crush on him too, but he really wasn't sure. For years now, they’d always sit closer than most friends would to each other, or make prolonged eye contact for no reason, and when it was time to split up and look for clues on missions, they always ended up together. However, whenever he tried to be more forward with his feelings, Cream either didn't reciprocate or didn't acknowledge him. He wasn't sure if this was because she didn't feel the same, or if she just had no idea that Charmy was hitting on her. The biggest issue was that Charmy didn’t want to be wrong and risk making things awkward between them by making a move and having her refuse. Or worse, risk losing her as a friend. 

Because of his earlier observation, he couldn’t help but draw parallels between him and Cream and Sonic and Amy. The fact that Sonic and Amy were together now gave him hope, but that only happened after years and years. There was too much uncertainty.

Charmy could tell that Cream wanted to say something else, but she couldn’t form the words. Either that, or didn’t know what to say. She shook her head, apparently giving up on trying. 

“Maybe… I should head home for the night,” she told him somberly. 

“Wait, no!” Charmy yelped. He wasn’t sure why he had such a sudden outburst, and his heart sank when he saw Cream’s startled reaction. 

“Er, you can stay over with us if you want!” he told her quickly. “I’ll take the couch if you want my bed.”

Cream furrowed her eyebrows. “Mister Vector is already on the couch.”

He had almost forgotten about Vector. “Oh, right. Err, I can sleep in Vector’s bed. Actually, scratch that, his room is pretty smelly.” 

Cream couldn’t help but giggle at Charmy’s quip. Even at times like this, he still managed to make her laugh. 

“But seriously, I don’t want to make you go home at a time like this,” he continued. “At least let me walk ya guys home, or fly you home I guess.”

Cream and Cheese exchanged a somber glance. They turned back to Charmy and smiled warmly. 

“I appreciate the offer, Charmy,” she told him. “I really do. However, we kind of feel like being alone right now. Thank you so much for having us over, and please tell Mister Vector I said so too. The party was really fun!”

Cheese cooed in agreement. 

Charmy was crestfallen. He did a great job at hiding it, and Cream had no idea. At least, he thought she had no idea. 

“Well, if you insist,” he told her with a fake nonchalant shrug. “Have a safe walk, text me once you’re home!”

He was an awful actor, and Cream saw right through him. However, she chose not to comment. His concern for her well-being was genuine at least, and that warmed her heart in a way she couldn't describe. 

As Cream strode by him on the way to the door, she stopped short and grabbed his hand. Charmy’s heart jumped again, but this time in a positive way. 

“Happy birthday, Charmy.”

With those words, she released her hold on his gloved hand and left the room, followed by Cheese. Charmy was left hovering alone in the middle of the dark agency, even more confused than he was before.


	5. Chapter 5

The rain was coming down hard. Cream could barely hear herself think over the sound of the water pelting the sidewalk. One step outside would have left her drenched. She and Cheese were out for a walk around the city, when she looked up and noticed that some dark clouds had rolled in. As a few droplets began to fall from the sky, the pair took refuge in a nearby cafe at just the right time. The moment they entered, the torrential rain came down like a waterfall. 

“That was a close one,” she said to Cheese as they gazed out the window at the rain. All around, people scrambled around in the streets in an attempt to get to cover or unfurl their umbrellas before they got too drenched. 

She noticed a familiar figure scrambling towards her as she observed the scene unfolding before her. Blaze the Cat was rushing towards the very cafe that she was in, trying as hard as she could to not get soaked to her skin. Finally, she burst through the front door of the cafe and exhaled. With the smallest exertion of her power, she ignited her flame and all the dampness on her evaporated. Cream always thought her power was really handy.

The cafe was beginning to get crowded as more people piled inside to escape the rain. The employees began to panic as their line got longer and longer. After a few more people ran through the door, Blaze looked up and noticed Cream and Cheese. 

Her expression immediately brightened. “Oh, Cream and Cheese. What a pleasant surprise.”

She pushed her way through the dense crowd to make her way over to them. Once she was close enough, Cream replied. 

“Hi Miss Blaze!”

Blaze shook her head. “Really, Cream. There’s no need to refer to me as Miss Blaze. To you, I am simply Blaze the Cat.”

The politeness that had been instilled into Cream’s head by her mother since she was young was not something she could easily shake. 

“Sorry, Miss Blaze,” Cream replied. “Old habits are hard to get rid of.”

The purple cat shrugged. “I suppose you’re right. I cannot fault you for that.”

Blaze’s gaze shifted to Cheese. She smiled gently at the Chao. 

“Hello Cheese,” she said. “Good to see you are well.”

Cheese cooed in response to her words. Blaze had no idea what he said, as she couldn’t understand Chao innately like the others could. She just smiled and nodded. 

“I’m sorry we didn’t get to spend much time at Charmy’s party last week,” Blaze continued. “There were so many people there that I rarely see, I felt it was an opportunity I could not afford to pass up.”

Cream smiled. Even with Blaze, her smile was contagious. Through her cold, formal exterior, Blaze couldn’t help but smile back at her. 

The two of them went back some time as well. Not as far back as she did with Amy or Charmy, but she still considered Blaze to be one of her closest and most trusted companions. Her biggest issue with Blaze was how formal she was. Spending time with Charmy allowed her to cut loose more and more over the years, but Blaze had no such person to change her like that. As a result, she felt there was something of a disconnect between the two of them lately. They had begun to grow apart in recent months. 

“It’s okay, Miss Blaze, I understand,” replied Cream. “I was a little busy myself, after all.”

Blaze raised her eyebrows knowingly. “Ah yes, I recall. How are things going with that, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Cream tilted her head. “I’m sorry? I’m afraid I’m not sure what you mean.”

“You and Charmy are dating, no?” Blaze replied. 

Cream was caught off guard. She seemed to freeze once again, and her heart shot into her throat. First her mother, now Blaze. Did they really seem to be a couple to everyone looking at them?

“Oh, n-no, you have it all wrong,” Cream stammered. “Charmy and I are just friends.”

Blaze furrowed her eyebrows. That was certainly not what it had seemed like at the party. Even Knuckles could tell that there was something between those two. 

“Is that so?” Blaze told her. “Well, I apologize for being presumptuous. It did very much seem to be the case, though. I’m no expert on matters of the heart by any means, but even I could sense something between you two.”

Cream was at a loss for words. She had no idea what to say. She simply stood there, gaping at her friend. She suddenly felt like she was 9 years old again, timid and scared in the face of a looming obstacle that she wasn’t sure how to overcome. Romance was a hard topic for her to think about. Although she did enjoy Charmy’s company a lot, she had never even considered thinking about him in a romantic context. In fact, she wasn’t even sure where to begin thinking about it. 

When his face crossed her mind, she felt deeply peaceful. It was almost as if she felt she could do anything with him by her side. His upbeat, positive attitude never failed to help her up when she was down, and his leadership gave her a confidence boost that she would normally never be able to achieve on her own. His touch was reassuring to her, and his presence made her feel like she could overcome any obstacle thrown at her. That was part of the reason they made such a good detective team. Was that tickling sensation in her chest what romantic feeling felt like? It was a feeling she was all too familiar with, and one that she only felt when thinking about Charmy. He was someone she thought about often, even in the strangest of times, and someone who always brightened up her day whenever she saw him. But she’d known him for so long. If he had romantic feelings for her, wouldn’t she already know? Wouldn’t she already have figured out her own feelings? Surely she wasn’t that out of touch with matters of her own heart. 

As if Blaze could read her mind, she spoke. “I can understand what you’re going through, Cream. You’re at a very uncomfortable age where you’re still figuring out what you want out of life. I’ve been there.”

“What should I do, Miss Blaze?” Cream feebly asked. She normally prided herself on being independent enough to solve her own problems, but she was smart enough to know that sometimes she needed to rely on others for guidance. 

Blaze thought for a moment. “I think you should speak with Sonic.”

Cream was confused. “Mister Sonic? How come?”

“He went through the same exact thing as you are going through right now,” Blaze replied. “It was with Amy, remember?”

Cream thought back to a few years ago when Sonic and Amy finally got together. It was a long and complicated story, but she’d only ever heard it from Amy’s perspective. 

According to her, she backed off of Sonic a lot after realizing she was coming on too strong. She still loved him, and she always knew he loved her too but had no idea how to articulate it. Once she backed off, Sonic came running to her because he was worried he’d lose her. Deep down, he always had feelings for her, but he finally started to realize that they were there and how much he actually cared about her. Slowly but surely, they worked through their feelings together. Amy had never been so happy as long as Cream had known her, and the whole thing took place over the course of a few months. She remembered Amy commenting on the fact that he’s pretty slow, emotionally speaking, considering he’s the fastest thing alive. 

That wasn’t how it was with her and Charmy at all! At least, not in Cream’s mind. Did Charmy really feel the same way about her that Amy felt about Sonic? Cream felt that she was way more in touch with her emotions than Sonic was as well. Although, if she assumed that she had a crush on her best friend that she didn’t even realize, it began to seem less far-fetched. 

As all of these thoughts came at her at once, she began to feel overwhelmed. They threatened to make her cry. She wanted nothing more in that moment to run away and be alone and not think about any of this anymore. It was all too complex for her. If she could do what she wanted, she would completely ignore these feelings and go back to how her life was before. But she knew she couldn’t do that. If there was one thing Cream never was, it’s a quitter. She was determined to see this through to the end, whatever the outcome may be. Besides, if Charmy had a crush on her, she needed to know. Nothing could get in the way of their friendship, but the last thing she ever wanted was to hurt him. She’d sooner take the emotional blow herself than see Charmy get hurt in her place. Maybe that’s what love was. That’s why she knew what she had to do. 

“Maybe you’re right, Miss Blaze. I’ll have a talk with Mister Sonic.”


	6. Chapter 6

Amy was alone in her city apartment. She and Sonic technically owned separate homes, but they may as well have been living together considering how often he was at her place. It was a small, simple one bedroom apartment on the second floor of a complex. There was a living room with a single sofa and a TV on the wall, and a small kitchenette with a kitchen table. Two doors on the far end of the room led to her bedroom and a bathroom, respectively. Sonic wasn’t there at that moment, as he was off on what Amy could only imagine to be magnificent adventure, so she had no company.

In the past few years, she’d found herself with a wide array of new hobbies, one of which was painting. Her speciality was painting extremely flattering portraits of Sonic and herself, and sometimes just Sonic, which he loved. Amy was worried that they fueled his ego a lot more than she wanted them to, but she loved making them just as much as Sonic loved seeing them. Their relationship was complex, but they made things work. In fact, they were very happy together. 

The pink hedgehog was just about to begin work on a new painting when there was a knock on her door. She wasn’t expecting guests, so she found herself wondering who it could be. A part of her expected it to be a trap. Ever since Eggman caught wind of their relationship, he’d been launching a series of creative attempts to kidnap her. The doctor knew full well that Sonic would travel to the ends of the earth and back to rescue the one he loved, so Eggman wanted to use her as bait. Of course, he always failed, but her guard was up as a result. Cautiously, she approached the door and peered through the peephole. 

At first, she saw nobody. She furrowed her eyebrows, wondering who could have knocked. After a moment, Charmy’s mischievously grinning face popped into view. His sudden appearance startled her. This only made her more confused. She couldn’t remember a time that Charmy had ever visited her without the other Chaotix in tow. Nevertheless, she opened the door. 

Charmy waved at her. “Sup, Amy?”

Amy smiled gently at him. “Hey, Charmy.”

She glanced around the hall outside her door, looking for a sign of Espio or Vector. It was possible that Espio was invisible and standing nearby. Seeing Amy looking around, Charmy decided to clear up her confusion. 

“Espio and Vector aren’t here,” he clarified. “It’s just little ol' Charmy Bee today!"

Amy raised her eyebrows. She never got along too well with Vector, but Espio and Charmy were far more bearable. In fact, she considered them to be pretty good friends of hers. Even more so since she started dating Sonic, as he hangs out at the agency fairly often and invites her along sometimes. 

“Well, okay then,” Amy replied. “Why don’t you come in? I’ll make some tea.”

Charmy couldn’t help but notice that Amy had rearranged the place since he had last visited. Granted, that was a few months ago. She once painted a very nice picture of Sonic that still hangs in their agency to this day, but Charmy noticed that there were far better paintings of her and Sonic now hanging on the wall now. Her artistic skills were rapidly improving. 

Amy eventually returned with two glasses of tea and took a seat on her couch beside Charmy. 

“So, what can I do for you today?” Amy politely asked. Despite all the time they spend together, Charmy was more of an acquaintance to her than anything. As such, they both felt a little awkward hanging out alone. 

The bee sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. He wasn’t sure where to start. In truth, he came to Amy for advice about Cream. Not only was she an expert on romantic affairs, like Espio had told him, but she also knew Cream very well. She may have a better insight into how she feels than him. 

Much in his own style, Charmy decided to wing it. 

“So, I need your help with something,” he told her. “It’s about Cream.”

Amy was confused for just a moment before her eyes lit up and excitement crept onto her face. 

“No way!” Amy yelped. “Don’t tell me you’re finally making a move on Cream!”

“Well, that’s what I need your advice on,” he replied. 

The realization dawned on Amy. Charmy didn’t think it was possible for her to become more ecstatic, but she did. Whenever someone came to her for romantic advice, she couldn’t contain her excitement. There were very few things she enjoyed talking about more. Charmy nervously laughed. He was beginning to have second thoughts about coming to Amy as he realized exactly what he was getting into. 

“So what’s happening between you two?” she asked. “Tell me all the juicy details. I want to know EVERYTHING.”

Charmy grimaced. He didn’t even know where to start. The situation with him and Cream was very complex and went back years and years. If he were to tell Amy everything, they’d be sitting there for a long time. 

The bee took a sip of his scalding hot tea. “Err, well, I have no idea how she feels about me. Ya see, we’re pretty close. Pretty much best friends. She’s not very good with like, romantic stuff. I can’t tell how she feels. And, well, you and Sonic were kind of the same way, weren’t you? I guess I’m just trying to figure out if she’s interested in me or not. I don’t wanna ruin our friendship and make things awkward.”

Amy paused, and appeared to be deep in thought. She mulled over everything she knew about Cream from over the years. Never once had she heard Cream ever express any interest in Charmy, but then again, she never expressed interest in anyone at all. If there was one thing she knew, it was that Cream had never even tried to express herself romantically. If she were to venture a guess, she’d say that Cream had no experience. Growing up in such a polite and formal setting, it was hard to imagine that Cream had any chance to try. 

That was good news, though, because that meant Charmy had a shot with her. 

“You’re right, she does remind me of Sonic a little,” Amy observed. “At least, in a romantic sense. Let me tell you a little something about Sonic. I always knew he loved me just as much as I loved him, ever since we first met. I could tell. It was body language, and it was written in his eyes too. He always ran away from me because he had no idea how to cope with his romantic feelings. I think Cream is the same way. She doesn’t know how to handle romantic feelings. They’re like a big wall to her that she can’t figure out how to get over. Even now, Sonic still has a hard time expressing his feelings for me. And that’s okay, that’s just how he is. I love him no matter what. That’s probably how things will go with you and Cream. What I did was I backed off of Sonic a bit. I was coming on way too strong, and that was forcing him to confront that big wall of emotions he couldn’t get over. Sonic being Sonic, he didn’t want to show any weakness at all. He couldn’t show me or anyone that he had no idea how to get around that big wall, so he just ran away. For him, that was a sign of weakness that nobody could know about. I found the best thing was to back off and let him figure out his way around it of his own accord. Of course, I was there the whole time to support him and give him a nudge in the right direction. We’re still working at it, bit by bit, but he’s finding his way around it. Even though romance isn’t his thing, he cares enough about me and our relationship to at least try. I always have to remind myself that it’s all about compromise though. Relationships are give and take. With that in mind, we’re figuring a lot out together, and frankly it’s been really smooth sailing for us.”

Charmy didn’t say anything. Most of what Amy told him was about her and Sonic’s history, and didn’t help him at all. If nothing else, he was glad to at least get the details on their relationship at long last. But that didn’t solve the immediate problem with Cream. 

Amy must have noticed how unnaturally quiet Charmy was being, because she realized that she’d been talking about her own relationship without even helping him. 

“Ah, sorry Charmy,” she said with a giggle, “I was rambling. Anyway, Cream needs to get around that metaphorical emotional wall I mentioned earlier. At the step you guys seem to be at, I think she needs to realize that wall is even there to begin with.”

“How do I know if she feels the same or not?” Charmy asked. “That’s the hardest part.”

“What do you see in her eyes when she looks at you?” asked Amy. “How does she act around you? Does she treat you the same she treats me or Blaze, or is it different? Does she look at you the same as us, or does she have a look that she only ever gives to you?”

Charmy thought for a moment. Whenever she looked at him, he was usually preoccupied with how she made him feel. He never gave much thought to how she actually looked and acted. His mind wandered back to his birthday party the other day, when she took his hand. He thought about the prolonged eye contact they made after they hugged. That wasn’t any old eye contact. Even Charmy could tell there was something else behind it. 

“I think she does,” Charmy affirmed. “I never really gave it much thought, ya know? I was always too busy focusing on how she makes me feel, not how she was acting. But the other night after my birthday party, I wanted to say something to her that would push us in the right direction, you know? I wasn’t sure what to say, so we just stood there awkwardly for a while. She was looking at me the same as she usually does, but it’s not the same look she gives to everyone else. It’s like she feels more at home around me, and she can be herself in a way she can’t with anyone else. All that formality is gone. She’s so gentle and warm, and I could see that in her eyes when she looks at me. On the way out, I offered to walk her home and she said no. The weird part was that she held my hand for a few seconds. I’m not sure what that means, but maybe that’s a sign?”

Amy squealed with excitement. “Charmy, that’s absolutely a sign! I’d have to see it myself know for sure, but it sounds to me like she’s into you, whether she realizes it or not.”

“How do I make her realize?” Charmy asked. 

Amy paused to think once again. She thought back on everything that happened with Sonic. Back then, she was trying too hard to force Sonic to realize his feelings. Being so forward only caused Sonic to repress his feelings further. That’s how Amy learned that the key was to not be so pushy, and that most of the time love needs to blossom on it’s own. Amy’s pushiness was what led Sonic to run away from her for years and years, and she certainly did not want Charmy to repeat the same mistake she had. 

“You can’t force her to realize anything, Charmy,” Amy gently told him. “She needs to realize it on her own.”

Charmy became downcast again. “So I just need to wait for her to figure it out? What if she never does?”

The pink hedgehog smiled at her apoidea friend. “I said you can’t force her to realize how she feels. That doesn’t mean you can’t help her.”

There was a moment of silence as something clicked into place in Charmy’s head. Amy’s words and experiences were finally making sense to him. 

He looked up at Amy. “Help her? How?”

“Show her how much you mean to her,” she told him. “I know that sounds abstract, but there isn’t much more I can tell you besides that. You need to find out what makes your relationship with Cream unique, and what specifically she likes about you. That won’t be easy. Just remember to be yourself. She loves you because you’re you, not because you try to act like me or Vector. She’ll realize how much she loves you as long as you support her to the best of your ability.”

Charmy knew exactly what Amy meant, even though he couldn’t put it into words. A lot of the burden would fall on Cream’s shoulders, but he could help her support that burden. 

The wheels were turning in Charmy’s head, and Amy could clearly see that. Both Charmy and Cream were going through trying times in their lives - something Amy had experienced firsthand. She couldn't even begin to imagine the depth of the bond he held with the girl he loved, but she felt that on some level, she could understand Charmy’s feelings. First came the confusion, then the fiery burning love, then the apathy from the other, and then the emptiness. After that came the first sign of hope, and then the resurgence of the love, and then the mixed signals from the other. It was a long and arduous process, Amy knew. But what came after the mixed signals is where they would finally find their happiness. After the mixed signals was the realization, and then the make or break - the accept or reject. Amy was fairly confident that Cream would come around and accept. Once the feelings were out in the open, the path forward would be clear. 

A nostalgic smile crossed Amy’s face as she gazed at the young bee sitting next to her, still trying to figure out his way through life. She remembered when she was in his shoes, the confusion, apprehension, and hopelessness she felt. Those were trying times for her. Knowing exactly what she needed at the time, she knew exactly what to do for Charmy. 

She reached out and pulled her friend into a tight hug. Charmy was caught off guard. As she held Charmy in her arms, she couldn’t help but shed a tear. 

“It’ll be okay, Charmy,” she whispered. “I have the utmost confidence that things will work out for you, no matter what happens. We’re all rooting for you guys.”

Suddenly, Charmy was filled with hope. Maybe he could do this after all. If Amy could do it and turn out for the better, he absolutely could too. 

There was only one thing that nagged at the back of his mind. One small issue he saw that he wanted to ask about. When he thought about Cream, he was only focused on the present. Sometimes, things didn’t last. He just wanted to be sure. 

“Do you still love Sonic after all this time?” he asked. “Like, as much as you did when we were younger? Or does that go away after a long time?”

Amy released her hold on Charmy and leaned back. She blinked at him, as if shocked that he would ask such a question. It made sense that the young bee was worried about his feelings for Cream enduring over time, but come on. 

“Oh, Charmy,” she told him matter-of-factly. “I love that hedgehog with every fiber of my being. My love for him will never ever fade away, as long as I live.”


End file.
